Needing help with Jake's transition

[jenn D]

Ok I've decided to start this thread because there are a lot of issues we will need to address with help Jake adjust to a new life. I'm just going to post here with questions. I've got obedience stuff down I can handle that. But there is alot of other stuff. I'll just post here any maybe one of you wise doodle lovers can help. I can try to post in food, and grooming but so any things are interrelated so I'm going to use this thread as a catch all and if mods want me to separate I can. :)

Issue first and foremost, the diet. We feed one of the foods recommended on here. Jakes current diet (what the owners been feeding him) is dry purina puppy food, and equal parts peas, corn, rice, cooked ground beef and water all mixed together. Okayyyyyyyyy. Iknow how to move a dog from 1 food to another slowly but how in the world do i handle this? Poor Jake has terrible runs! I'm taking him to the vet early this week to check for uti, stool, blood work etc. but how do I begin the transition to my food with all these other ingredients?

Thanks,I'll tackle other issues as we go along. I fear grooming wise he will need a shave. His belly, ears, and legs are horribly matted.

Thanks everyone.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Good news about the water progress!  Hope more good news is on the way!  

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

Is there any possibility that the diet Jake used to be on was high in sodium? Such good news that he isn't gulping the water down now, what ever the reason. he looks adorable in his new haircut.

[Gail and Bailey]

Linda...I thought of that too because if they were putting all those vegetables in his food I will bet they were canned and not salt free.  That would add up to lots of sodium and then having water withheld...  poor Jake must have been desperate for water.

[jenn D]

Ok his diet was the 70/30 ground beef fat kept in and halfway cooked, Costco frozen veggies (the corn, green bean and carrot mix), and trader joes jasmine rice, all cut with water and purina puppy chow added.
Currently he is on plain white rice, 2 tbls plain pumpkin, a cup of cooked chicken. His stool is slowly starting to firm up. :) whoop!

[F, Calla & Luca]

More good news.

[Gail and Bailey]

Yea!!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Whoop is right!!! good news in a relatively short time. 

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

Hi Jenn!  I just read through all 10 pages of this discussion!   So glad that Jake is at home with you and doing better.  He looks GORGEOUS and so soft.  

First of all...I am so confused to as why the previous owner fed him such a weird mix of food.  Since he kept jake in a crate for up to 20 hrs, seems like he really didn't care about him but that meal (although not healthy) seems time consuming.  Wouldn't it have just been easier to feed him plain dry kibble?  WTD?!!!

Oh and second... my Bender drinks a lot of water too.  He never throws it up but will sometimes gag and throw up some spit or a small splatter of water.  And yes, he does drink ALOT of water.  I actually have a theory about this because I think he is not drinking the correct way with his tongue but I will never really know :).  When he was a puppy he used to eat really fast too but since he's gotten older (he's 1.5 yrs) he has slowed down and started to enjoy his food.  Hopefully Jake will learn and slow down too.

Thank you for rescuing him.  and yes...one day at a time.  It's VERY overwhelming but you are doing such a great thing for him.  Hugs to you XO

[jenn D]

Hi guys,

Day 4 here. Every day Jake does a bit better. He has his vet apt on Friday. I have a question regarding insurance. What's the likelihood that they will cover any part of surgery if Jake does in fact have imbedded foxtails? I got a quote from Pet Plan and its 48 a month for both boys. Does it cover any of the costs of typical visits and or vaccines?

Thanks for any info.

Also, Jake loves Kongs. What a fun thing to watch a dog come to life again. Here he is with Brisby eating a stuffed Kong for the first time. The picture is deceiving and makes Jake look tiny. Its mostly my camera angle. Brisby is 25 1/2 inches at the withers, Jake is almost 24. So he really isn't THAT tiny. ;)

Thanks so much for the support here. It helped me stay strong for Jake. :)

[Bonnie and Kona]

Two happy faces! Please keep us updated on the vet appointment.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Cute.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

They are adorable!

Most pet insurance won't cover pre-existing conditions; at this point, I'm assuming there is nothing in his Jake's vet records about the foxtails. But having the vet look at them is not something that can be put off until the insurance kicks in. :(